Means for scoring ice by fluid pressure



May 12, 1931. R. H. ROARK 1,805,296

MEANS FOR SCORING ICE BY FLUID PRESSURE Filed Nov. '7. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 PG INVENTOR.

A 'ITORNE Y.

May 12, 1931. RQARK 1,805,296

MEANS FOR SCORING ICE BY FLUID PRESSURE Filed Nov. '7, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NV EN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

y 12, 1931- R. H. ROARK 1,805,296

MEANS FOR SCORING ICE BY FLUID PRESSURE Filed Nov. 7, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ITIORNEY.

- to provide further the Fatented May 12, 1931 UNITED STATES ROBERT H. BOABK, OF WAGO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE GENERAL ICE SCORING MACHINE GOMPANYKOF DALLAS, TEXAS, A CORIPORATION OF DELAWARE MEANS FOR SCORING ICE BY FLUID PRESSURE Application filed November 7, 1927. Serial No. 231,720.

This invention relates to ice scoring machines and is an improvement over that construction of ice scoring method and means granted to the applicant herein on November 10, 1925, and numbered 1,561,112.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide means for operating the machine by hydraulic power such as water, oil, or other liquid; air, steam, or gas, and

addition of such new parts as will bring this about and omitting such parts as are not required in the new construction.

The improved machine provides an arrangementand construction of co-related mechanisms for receiving a block of ice on end, that is in a vertical position, and for movingthe block of ice by hydraulic means while in this position and simultaneously scoring the block cross-wise. After the ice is scored in this manner it is tilted by hydraulic means to enable the block to move lengthwise by gravity down a slideway and while passing down the slideway' the block is scored longitudinally. I V v The invention will be clearly understood from a perusal of thefollowing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational machine,

Figure 2 is a plan view,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figures 4 and 5 are vertical cross-sectional views taken at differentpositions on Figure 1 Figures 6 and 7 and 8 and 9 are sectional detail views of a fluid pressure control valve, and its disk and illustrating the valve and disk in operative and discharge positions.

Proceeding in accordance with the drawings and wherein different numerals designate the various parts, 1 denotes an elongated rectangular frame which consists of any desired arrangement of longitudinal and transverse main bars, and any desired number of upright or other additional bars as may be foundnecessary to support the bearings and other parts of the mechanism. At the view of the bottom of the frame are disposed longitudinal skids or tracks 2 which provide a guide for the blocks of ice A to be scored. These skids extend from the entrance end 3 to approximately the center of the frame and beyond the center of the machine there is provided a slideway 4 whereby the block of ice is delivered at the exit end 5.

The machine is provided with a pair of saws 6 carried on the vertical shaft-s 7 which score the ice cross-wise. These shafts are driven by a motor 8, in connection with the chain 9, sprocket wheel 10 on the shaft 11 and bevel gears 12 and 13. The ice block is scored longitudinally by means of the saws 14; carried on the obliquely positioned shafts 15 which are rotated by the chain 16 in conjunction with the gears 17 and 18.

Located at the intermediate portion of the machine is a tilting cage 19 carrying trunnions 20 rotatable through the sides of the frame, the cage having one side and one end open. As in the former invention hereinbefore referred to this cage normally tends to remain in an upright position, but'a particular feature of the present invention is to provide means, hereinafter described,for tilting the cage to normal and discharge positions by hydraulic or fluid pressure.

The foregoing description relates to the machine covered by Letters Patent of the United States previously referred to herein. The improvements therein and on which Letters Patent is sought in the present invention will now be recited in detail and'in accordance with the drawings herein which show the improved machine.

Referring to Figure 4, a cross-shaft 2 1 is placed in the frame and rests in bearings 4.1. To this cross-shaft is attached an ice pusher bar 18, the bar being rigid in itself and curved in the arc of a circle. This bar is capable of being moved'to three positions, the normal position being indicated at B. In Figure 2 this bar is shown in between the sides of the machine, the cross-shaft 24 extending beyond the frame and carrying a sprocket wheel 24a and a counterweight 8a. To the periphery of the sprocket wheel is attached a chain 9a and the opposite end of the chain is fastened to apiston rod 10a. The piston rod reciprocates on a piston in a cylinder 25. The cylinder is supplied with fluid pressure by means of a valve 26, shown in Figures 6 and 8 and which is operated by the disk 27 in connection with the rod 28.

This valve is shown in Figure 6 in closed position-that is no pressure is being admitted to the cylinder and the normal position of the sprocket wheel 240, would be to hold the ice pusher bar in position C, this being due to the counterweight 8a. .Thus when the operator places a block of ice in the machine in the position A. he pulls the operating rod 28, rotating the disk :2? on the valve 26 until the lower projection 29a on the arm 29 falls into the slot 30, thereby opening the valve and causing fluid pressure to pass from the pipe line 31 into the cylinder 25. This fluid pressure may be air, steam, or other gas, water, oil or other liquid and the pressure may be generated by a pump or compressor connected with the machine ormay be supplied from an independent source.

WVhen fluid pressure is admitted to the cylinder 25, the piston rod 10a moves in the di reetion indicated by the arrow, thus rotating the wheel 24a by means of the chain 9a and thereby moving the lever carrying the counterweight 8a and raising this weight to the dotted line, position shown in Figure 1. During this operation the pusher bar 18 has moved to the position B, pushing the ice block between the rotating saws where it is scored crosswise and then into the tilting cage 19, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1.

\Vhen the counterweight 8a reaches the dotted line position shown in Figure 1 it strikes the angular projection of the arm 29, pulling the end 29a from the notch 30, and the contraction of the spring 31a causes the wheel 27 to return to normal position. This cuts off pressure from the cylinder and provides an outlet for the pressure already existing in the cylinder. The. release of the pressure permits the counterweight to return to its original position, that is to that position shown in full Lines in Figure 1, thereby raising the pusher bar to its original position, that one shown in full lines in Figure 1.

The tilting cage 19 is operated by fluid pressure acting upon a piston in a cylinder 32, by means of piston rod 33, chain 34 and sprocket wheel 35, the latter being rigidly attaehed to the trunnion 20 of the cage 19.

The fluid pressure admitted to cylinder 32 is controlled by the same construction of valve as indicated at 26. The disk 27a is similar to the disk 27 except it has a finger or projection 36, this finger having connection to the counterweight 86; by means of a chain 37.

Now when the counterweight moves to the dotted line position previously referred to, the chain 37 tightens and assumes a position shown by dotted line 37 a, moving the finger 36 to its dotted line position shown in Figure 1, thereby opening valve 26 on the disk 27a. The valve is held open by the finger 38 on the arm 39, the finger engaging the notch in this disk.

hen this latter valve opens, fluid pressure is admitted into the lower end of the cylinder 32, moving piston rod 33 in direction of arrow, rotating wheel 35 by means of the chain 37 until the tilting cage 19 assumes the position indicated by the dotted lines D and when in this position the lower end of the cage comes into alignment with the slideway t. When the tilting cage is in the slanted position, the block of ice slides from the cage, down the slideway i and thus passes between the saws 14 which score the block lengthwise. hen passing out of the tilting cage, the ice block strikes the outward end 39a of the arm 39 and disengages the finger 38 from the notch in the wheel 27a, whereupon the coil spring 40 retracts wheel to normal position, cutting oil fluid pressure from cylinder 32 and releasing pressure therein.

The cage 19 is so constructed that the corner ill is the heaviest part of the cage, and when pressure is released from the cylinder, the excess weight causes the cage to again assume a vertical position ready for another block of ice, after which the operation just described can be repeated.

From the foregoing it will now be appar ent that the machine can be operated by by draulic power in moving a block of ice therethrough in scoring the block crosswise and lengthwise. Also that modifications may be made therein from the specific construction here shown and in keeping with the appended claims.

Vi hatis claimed is:

1. In an ice scoring machine, guide means at the entrance end, scoring saws above said guide means, fluid pressure operated means for feeding blocks of ice along the guides between the saws, a tilting cage receiving successive blocks subsequent to their passage between said saws, automatically operating fluid pressure means for tilting said cage for turning the blocks'through an arc of substan tially as soon a the initial scoring opera tion is completed, scoring saws at the outlet end between which the blocks pass subsequent tobeing tilted, gravity means for feeding the blocks between the second named saws, and means engaged by the block oi ice in its passage between the last-named saws for cutting off and releasing the fluid from said cage tilting means to permit the cage to re turn to position for operating upon another block of ice.

2. In an ice scoring machine, guide means above the entrance end, scoring means thereabove, a tilting cage, fluid pressure operated means for moving a block of ice in contact with said scoring means and into said cage, manual means for initially supplying fluid to said ice moving means, means for automatically cutting oil and releasing fluid as soon as the ice has been scored, inclined guide means at the outlet end of the machine, scoring means above said outlet guide means, automatically operating fluid pressure means for tilting the cage to discharge the block onto said inclined outlet guide as soon as the initial scoring operation is complete, and means operated by the block of ice passing down said inclined guide for automatically cutting ofl and releasing fluid from said tilting means.

3. In an ice scoring machine having guide means at its entrance, horizontal rotary saws, means actuated by fluid pressure for moving a block of ice While in Vertical position between said saWs to score the block in one direction, a tilting cage, an inclined slideWay at the outlet end of the machine, ice scoring means above said inclined slideway, automatically operating fluid pressure means for tilting the cage as soon as the initial scoring operation is completed for discharging ice upon said slideway, and means operated b engagement with a block of ice on said sli eway for automatically cutting off the pressure supplied for tilting the cage.

v In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

" ROBERT H. ROARK. 

